Groundwater

Groundwater from the Tomago and Tomaree sandbeds will remain an important source of drinking water for the region, in normal climate and in drought. Investigations into other potential groundwater sources are continuing.

Groundwater plays an important role in the water supply system for the lower Hunter region. In the last 10 years, an average of around 10 per cent of the region’s drinking water supply has been sourced from the Tomago and Tomaree sandbeds, but the amount varies from year to year and can be as high as 30 per cent.

The Tomago groundwater source is a valuable reserve to supplement supplies from other sources in a drought.

Investigations into the feasibility of new groundwater sources that might boost supplies in a drought are currently focused on the Lower Hunter Alluvial groundwater source, near the junction of the Hunter and Paterson Rivers.